What's your favourite tack cleaner?

E

Ellietots

New User
Joined
27 September 2016
Messages
4
Visit site
What does everyone here use to clean tack? At the moment, I'm using old fashioned saddle soap and oil after. I love how it comes out, feels so soft and supple but takes a long time!!
I am thinking maybe a spray of some sort and a spray on oil too but there is way too many to choose!
 
It's probably not recommended these days (Oz? :p ) but I still use Carr & Day & Martin Belvoir tack conditioner glycerine. (Did you know Screwfix sell it at £3.99?!)

Anyhoo ... if a bridle or saddle has been soaked by the rain, I'll use a leather balm as well but other than that, it's what I've used for 40 plus years.

Can honestly say all my bridles are 10, 20 or 30+ years old and still supple, strong and looking good.

NB* I always use a completely wrung-out cloth before I apply it.
 
To clean Carr&Day&Martin's saddle soap, with an old washing up sponge to clean off any build up of muck. Oz's mineral-oil-free conditioner to condition and soften.
 
Warm water with a small handful of soda crystals to clean the grot off (horse is a grease machine).

Leave it out on newspaper to dry, then Hamanol leather conditioner, leave for a bit longer, then buff with a soft cloth.
 
Ellietots said:
What does everyone here use to clean tack? At the moment, I'm using old fashioned saddle soap and oil after. I love how it comes out, feels so soft and supple but takes a long time!!
I am thinking maybe a spray of some sort and a spray on oil too but there is way too many to choose!
Click to expand...

Well I don't clean my tack often but when I do I wash it warm water and good old fashioned saddle soap. Oiling with neatsfoot oil when leather gets dry but all in all it needs cleaning but don't have time. Carr and Day leather food

Tried many other leather food inc £££ but found them naff so binned them
 
Last edited:
I'm not a regular cleaner, but find a spray of dilute fairy liquid to remove the grot, followed by Oz's hand made (I made some from his recipe), is the best. I cheat by warming it up in a water bath to make applying it easier, as it's solid as a rock else.
 
warm water and elbow grease, followed by some kind of leather balsam :) Hate the old glycerine soaps, they just seem to make everything sticky.

My older bridles are pretty much waterproof these days from previous cleanings, so just need the grease and dirt wiping off to look super-duper ;)
 
Lots of people get away with lots of less than ideal products. My customers all get recommended the same - hand hot water, elbow grease and an old fashioned cotton dishcloth to clean, a tiny quirt of Fairy in the nucket if really needed. No oil, no soap (neither is actually good for leather) and a good conditioner like Oz's (cremedemonthe on here), I also recommend Sedgwick that you can get from ebay, as needed. Usually around once a fortnight, and apply to ALL leather surfaces, more on reverse of thick leathers, less on the "good" side, and the least on thin leathers eg seat and panels.
 
I used Oz's conditioner on a new bridle this week and am delighted by the results. Can't see me using anything else from now on (which is just as well as a little goes a long way and I have quite a large tub of it!).
 
Baroque said:
I used Oz's conditioner on a new bridle this week and am delighted by the results. Can't see me using anything else from now on (which is just as well as a little goes a long way and I have quite a large tub of it!).
Click to expand...

Thanks, wonder if many on here have made leather conditioner to the free recipe I give out.And yes, you will have that large tub of conditioner for years yet, takes ages to use up!
Oz
 
I cleaned mine a few days ago and I am quite ashamed to say it was filthy! I used to wipe mine over every time I rode and have got very lazy, I used hot bucket of water with scourer sponge to scrub the grime off only on the rough side though and then put some hydrophane conditioner on and it did look very good afterwards and I won't be leaving it that long again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top